sweet_lady_genevieve
Joined Nov 2008
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Reviews8
sweet_lady_genevieve's rating
Gilliam's strength, as always, is in having the ability to project the craziest depths of his imagination on to the big screen and this film provides the ideal platform for him to showcase his stunning visual conceptions. The 'Imaginarium' itself is a spectacle of fabulous colours, wonderfully bizarre landscapes and alluring visions; each personal to whoever enters through the magical mirror of Dr. Parnassus' mysterious travelling sideshow.
On the face of it, this vague idea along with an unparalleled cast sounds like it could be a winning concept for another masterpiece from acclaimed filmmaker Terry Gilliam (Twelve Monkeys, The Fisher King, Brazil, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), but I think it lacks the substance to make it a winner. Having said this, credit should be duly given to Gilliam, as the sudden death of Heath Ledger before filming had finished meant that some of the script had to be rewritten and other actors drafted in to complete Ledger's part (Depp, Law and Farrell).
The plot is hazy and with so much going on throughout it is very difficult to summarise. Dr. Parnassus (Plummer) is accompanied on his travels by his 15 year old daughter, Valentina (played very well, actually, by model-turned-actress Lily Cole). They are joined on the road by two more assistants; the somewhat irritating, yet harmless character of Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Parnassus' "number two", Percy (Troyer). Parnassus possesses the extraordinary power to invite people into their own imaginations through the main attraction that is the Imaginarium, which appears to be a completely ordinary two-sided mirror from the outside. Once inside, however, people are enticed one way and another and eventually, required to choose their fate. Heath Ledger effortlessly plays Tony, an ambiguous, enigmatic character who brings charisma and charm to the failing sideshow. It is very much a supporting role and he turns up towards the second half of the film. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law each bring an interesting dynamic to the character, even though they feature only for short spaces of time within the Imaginarium.
I would like to watch this film several times more before making my mind up completely as to whether I like it or not; but the main reason that I wouldn't put this amongst Gilliam's best is that it is quite slow-moving in places, where Gilliam seems to have gotten so carried away with his imagination-land that some of the other scenes are lacking focus. It is also difficult to feel any empathy or emotion for the characters, because even with some excellent performances – particularly Plummer as Parnassus himself – there are no distinct personalities to love or hate. In this sense, it is quite possible that this will appeal to cult fans of his niche film-making style. In any case, it is absolutely essential when watching this film that you abandon the desire for a plot in any conventional sense of the word and accept that, in order to appreciate it, your imagination must take over
On the face of it, this vague idea along with an unparalleled cast sounds like it could be a winning concept for another masterpiece from acclaimed filmmaker Terry Gilliam (Twelve Monkeys, The Fisher King, Brazil, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), but I think it lacks the substance to make it a winner. Having said this, credit should be duly given to Gilliam, as the sudden death of Heath Ledger before filming had finished meant that some of the script had to be rewritten and other actors drafted in to complete Ledger's part (Depp, Law and Farrell).
The plot is hazy and with so much going on throughout it is very difficult to summarise. Dr. Parnassus (Plummer) is accompanied on his travels by his 15 year old daughter, Valentina (played very well, actually, by model-turned-actress Lily Cole). They are joined on the road by two more assistants; the somewhat irritating, yet harmless character of Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Parnassus' "number two", Percy (Troyer). Parnassus possesses the extraordinary power to invite people into their own imaginations through the main attraction that is the Imaginarium, which appears to be a completely ordinary two-sided mirror from the outside. Once inside, however, people are enticed one way and another and eventually, required to choose their fate. Heath Ledger effortlessly plays Tony, an ambiguous, enigmatic character who brings charisma and charm to the failing sideshow. It is very much a supporting role and he turns up towards the second half of the film. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law each bring an interesting dynamic to the character, even though they feature only for short spaces of time within the Imaginarium.
I would like to watch this film several times more before making my mind up completely as to whether I like it or not; but the main reason that I wouldn't put this amongst Gilliam's best is that it is quite slow-moving in places, where Gilliam seems to have gotten so carried away with his imagination-land that some of the other scenes are lacking focus. It is also difficult to feel any empathy or emotion for the characters, because even with some excellent performances – particularly Plummer as Parnassus himself – there are no distinct personalities to love or hate. In this sense, it is quite possible that this will appeal to cult fans of his niche film-making style. In any case, it is absolutely essential when watching this film that you abandon the desire for a plot in any conventional sense of the word and accept that, in order to appreciate it, your imagination must take over
I did not expect to enjoy this film as much as I did. 'Anvil' are an ageing Canadian metal band who had 5 minutes of fame before falling short of the big-time. Now they are family men, living humble lives but never forgetting their ultimate dream and passion, so here we follow their last endeavour to make a worldwide success of their band. They are genuinely talented musicians and performers, as testified by the likes of Guns 'n' Roses, Metallica and Anthrax who were influenced by them. However, you don't have to be a fan of metal music to enjoy this heart-warming rockumentary, as you become completely endeared to the central characters – the emotional and sentimental Lips and his best friend and band-mate since they were 14 years old, Robb, the calmer and more enigmatic of the two. The initial impression is that the film could be a spoof, but whilst it is as comic as Spinal Tap, it is in fact a story of the real emotions of real people; making it a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
Gran Torino is a perfect mix of comedy and tragedy, due to the skillful handling of the merging of both genres by director, Eastwood. He also plays the leading role as cantankerous Korean War veteran, Walt Kowalski.
The film centres on the life of Walt who from the outset is offensive, difficult and racially prejudiced since his experiences in the Korean War. We learn of his various character traits through his dialogue and relationships with the people around him – his two sons and their families, a priest (Carley) and his barber. When a large Hmong family moves next door, there is initial hostility from Walt. Then young Thao (Vang) attempts to steal Walt's treasured 1972 Gran Torino. This sparks a series of dramatic events and changes the tone of the film significantly, which is managed smoothly by Eastwood.
This is the first film for aspiring young actors, Vang and Her, who play their roles with understatement and maturity. However, it is Eastwood's superb characterisation of Kowalski that carries this film right to the end.
The film centres on the life of Walt who from the outset is offensive, difficult and racially prejudiced since his experiences in the Korean War. We learn of his various character traits through his dialogue and relationships with the people around him – his two sons and their families, a priest (Carley) and his barber. When a large Hmong family moves next door, there is initial hostility from Walt. Then young Thao (Vang) attempts to steal Walt's treasured 1972 Gran Torino. This sparks a series of dramatic events and changes the tone of the film significantly, which is managed smoothly by Eastwood.
This is the first film for aspiring young actors, Vang and Her, who play their roles with understatement and maturity. However, it is Eastwood's superb characterisation of Kowalski that carries this film right to the end.